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2002 Saab 9-5 - Review

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ATLANTA
— Typical Atlanta
traffic, heavy with few places to merge onto the freeway. Spotting an opening, I
press the pedal to the floor and feel myself hurled back into the firm and
enveloping driver’s seat. This is a car that begs the age-old question: where’s
your pilot’s license?

TheCarConnection recently got the opportunity to review
the entire Saab lineup for 2002. With few major changes for the upcoming
model-year, we decided to focus in on the model that seems to best blend three
Saab attributes: performance, functionality and, of course, that quirky brand
character that has, over the years, built up a small but phenomenally loyal core
of customers.

Triple threat

For 2002, Saab revises the 9-5 lineup with three new
model designations: Linear, Arc and Aero. The latter is the name the Swedish
automaker applies to the performance version 9-5. It starts with a 2.3-liter
in-line four engine and bolts on a high-output turbo with an overboost function
that turns this modest-sized powerplant into a real screamer. For 2002, power
has been boosted to 250 horsepower, an increase of 20 ponies, no small feat.

In years past, that extra power might not have been
especially useful. Saabs had an unpleasant reputation for torque steer, that
annoying characteristic on front-drive cars to dart left or right when power
came on. And older Saab turbos would take their time building up boost, so there
would be a lag when you stomped on the pedal before you suddenly felt the car
lurch off to one side or the other. Not so with the 9-5 wagon. The HOT booster
has virtually no lag. It’s there when you need it. And there’s little to no
perceptible torque steer. Traction Control helps, of course, as does the
Electronic Stability Program, or ESP, that’s now a standard Aero feature.

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